Tracks
by Heather Giesbrecht
Summary: By the tracks he knew it was a strange shapeshifter. Kai/Loki. Complete.


**Tracks**

Kai was tracking some type of shapeshifter. How did he know it was a creature ? Simply because without changing his stride too much the creature had shifted from a breed of stag he wasn't familiar with to human. Also, the creature's tracks had slowly changed from deep, angry prints to lighter, more careful ones. _'Likely, it will be near useless to try to sneak-up as he will have heard my following or sensed me already.'_

So, despite the sound of the stream he was nearing, that should have covered him, he simply walked straight into the open. A man with near shoulder-length black-hair, in a long, black-leather robe sat on the grass and leaf covered bank. The man half-twisted to look at him revealing a pale-skinned and clean-shaven face with the most unnaturally coloured, and beautiful, eyes he'd ever seen - they were dark-emerald green.

_'I've only ever seen emeralds when I was with the Tengu. How did a, another, foreigner make it here ? He doesn't look even half-Japanese, was he in a Dutch shipwreck ?'_

As he walked slowly closer there was a smirk on the pale-pink lips. "I didn't sense you at first. It takes quite the man, of any race, to sneak-up on me. As such you have my congratulations, Stranger. I am Loki, Prince of Asgard." The man's voice was soft, warm and utterly hypnotic.

_'Asgard ? I have never heard of this Asgard before. Surely, with his strange name he is one of the Dutch.'_

He bowed and responded, "Welcome to Ako, Prince Loki. I am Kai, tracker of Ako. Might I dare ask what your name means ?"

"You do not have to stay bowed, Kai. Rise, sit, I would talk to someone new and you are here. As for my name it can mean either Close, Air or Danger depending on how one goes about it. What does Kai mean ?"

Hesitantly, he rose and walked to sit beside Loki, "My name means Sea. I am called such because it was the only word I could say when I fled from the Sea of Trees to Ako. Like you I am foreign here, but as I am a half-breed you would still get more respect for being a prince. They think that I am part-Oni, part-demon that is, and even Lord Asano's dogs are better treated than I."

_'Why did I say that ? I have never told anyone half that much before not even Mika.'_

There was something compelling about Loki's, seemingly, innocent eyes. Least wise, whatever creature Loki was he could not be crueler than the bird-like tengu, than Sojobo who had wanted him to kill a man at seven years old. More sympathy was in Loki's next words then he'd ever received from anyone who wasn't Mika or Lord Asano in his whole life. It was even more than he'd ever gotten from Mika.

"I am sorry, Kai. What a despicable thing to do ! At least even though I prefer fighting with magic, it is one of my strongest skills, I would still get basic respect even were I not Prince of Asgard. I could pull a few tricks on them if you wish. Hehe, we could make a whole trick-sea chain from it. Ah, do forgive me that was terrible."

It might've been terrible, but it made him laugh to imagine his main antagonist Chief Retainer or Karou Oishi getting something disgusting dumped over his head. Whatever Loki chose to do it would be worth it to see the samurai's equally disgusted expression. Some time later, he was luring Oishi into the forest with a report of Loki's appearance.

The black-haired samurai looked about and demanded, "He was here ? Don't lie, you miserable beast. It will not go well if you have !"

Loki called from on the top most branch of an overhanging tree, "The only beast that I see here is you !"

Oishi hissed, "You ! Come down here at once."

A strange snake - mainly black with some bright-blue scales - suddenly fell onto Oishi's head and the man let out a shrill scream of fright. Had he forgotten to mention to Loki that Oishi had a slight fear of snakes ? He had ? That was rather...unfortunate and slightly cruel, but utterly hilarious and harmless in comparison to some of the things that Oishi had done to him over the years.

He contained his laughter until Oishi had run far out of sight and hearing. Lightly, Loki jumped down from the tree landing smoothly, joining him in laughter. The Prince of Asgard had a nice laugh, it was more carefree than the peasants who helped him with the tracking because Loki was not terrified of ruining his reputation by association.

Kai chuckled, "I never would have gotten away with doing that. What would you have done had he said, "You come down here at once !" Loki ?"

"Oh, rest assured Kai that I would have thought of something. It was lovely meeting you my dear tracker, but unfortunately I've spent too much time here as is. I need to go home and see if my brother is ready to apologize."

"Will you ever come back ?" Not even he could keep the slightly desperate tone from his voice. Finally, someone who could understand and yet Loki had to leave so soon. It was not fair in the least !

Fast enough so that had he not trained with the tengu he would have missed the sprinting it took to reach him Loki stood before him. One of the pale hands cupped his chin and hundreds of years bore down on him as Loki considered his question.

"I am so sorry, but...I don't know, Kai. The next time I come here either you could still be alive or long dead."

If this was both the first and last time he would see the man in this life time, Loki would, hopefully, remember him long after he'd forgotten this meeting. Those eyes widened slightly at the soft kiss any time would've been too short, but it seemed a second later that the kiss ended. Almost frightened to open his eyes and find that the afternoon was a dream, when he did Loki was smiling faintly.

After a simple, half-wistful, "Good-bye, Kai." Loki vanished. Unconsciously sighing, he turned and followed deer-Loki's tracks...right to his hut. Now, chuckling to himself at the memory of Oishi's face he would do a drawing of the event so that he could remember both it and the Prince of Asgard.


End file.
